IN-VITRO SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS FROM CALLUS-CULTURE OF THE TIMBER-YIELDING TREE HARDWICKIA-BINATA ROXB

Somatic embryogenesis was achieved in callus cultures derived from imm ature cotyledonary explants of Hardwickia binata Roxb., a multipurpose leguminous tree, on semisolid modified Murashige and Skoog's (mMS) me dium containing 2900 mg/l potassium nitrate (KNO3) supplemented with 4 .64 mu M kinetin (Kn) and 5.37 mu M a-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). So matic embryos proliferated rapidly after transfer to MS basal medium s upplemented with 2052.6 mu M L-glutamine and 0.084 mu M gibberellic ac id (GA(3)). Maturation of somatic embryos was achieved on half-strengt h MS basal medium supplemented with 1.23 mu M IBA and 2% (w/v) sucrose . Histological studies confirmed different developmental stages of som atic embryogenesis in Hardwickia binata.